June 25-29 are the dates for Worcester State University’s 18th annual Author Institute, a children’s literature conference for teachers and others. This year’s conference will feature recent recipients of the Caldecott and Newbery book awards: Javaka Steptoe, author and illustrator of the 2017 Caldecott winner, “Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat,” and Lauren Wolk, author of 2017 Newbery winner “Wolf Hollow.”

“The Namesake” focuses on two generations of a Bengali-American family living in Massachusetts and their experience as immigrants to struggle to assimilate while not losing their identity.

Events will include arts and crafts and theater productions involving “The Namesake” and its themes. Other events — including an appearance by Mitali Perkins, author of “You Bring the Distant Near” — are in the works…

“IndieReader launched the Discovery Awards eight years ago to help elevate the profile of books by self-published authors, via the stamp of approval by an extraordinary panel of judges, with the ultimate prize being submission to a top New York-based lit agency.”

The awards have been announced each year in conjunction with BookExpo, and this year’s announcement at BookCon included: (For) Writing/Publishing – W. Nikola – Lisa/Dog Eared

_________________________________________

ARTIST BENNY ANDREWS COMBINES STYLES AND MEDIUMS IN ‘MIX MASTER’ AT THE MFA

Within a few years, he (Andrews) relocated to New York, gained a solo show and a handful of awards – and just as quickly was embroiled in the social justice activities that would become another of his life-long callings.

In 1969, in response to an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that was titled “Harlem on My Mind: Cultural Capital of Black America” – a showing of photos and newspaper articles about the community, which was notably absent of any actual artwork or contributions by African Americans – Andrews co-founded the Black Emergency Cultural Coalition (BECC) to protest the exhibit.

Over the next few years, Andrews and BECC would raise awareness on a number of social issues, including the prison system and the anti-Vietnam war movement.